Raven Wynd won first place and $1,000 for her work, “Sir Bigglesworth Rides Again.” Her recycled materials sculpture will be displayed through the summer at the Portage District Library.

Second place and $750 went to Ben Whitney for his work called “Beauty of Cranes,” and third place and $500 in the category sponsored by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo went to Cathy Carter for her work “Broken Reflections.

Wynd also won the Sponsors Choice Award and $500 awarded by Schupan & Sons.

The Public Choice Award for $500 was won by Andrews Elementary School in Three Rivers for their work entitled “Robots Assemble.” The Public Choice Award was selected through a combination of on-site voting during the opening ceremony on May 10, and online voting that ended on May 16.

This year’s Recycled Art in the Park Contest at Celery Flats attracted 17 entries. The first, second and third place prizes were selected through a panel judging process by Betty Upjohn Mason, Margaret Merrion, Mike Pixley and Tom Fox.

"Robots Assemble" by students at Andrews Elementary School in Three Rivers was the Public Choice Award winner.Courtesy photo

The event was sponsored this year by Schupan Recycling, Eaton, Bowers Manufacturing, the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo and city of Portage.

The Recycled Art in the Park event, organized by the Portage Park Board, was a non-juried art show created as a venue for artists to express their creativity and create public awareness on recycling, said Kathleen Hoyle, director of the event.

The works-of-art were judged based on adhering to the 100 percent recycled content requirement, with 60 percent on creative use of materials as they were not originally intended, and 40 percent on overall artistry and originality.